First trailer for BBC Three’s Clique lands online

The drama, which premieres on 5th March, follows Georgia and Holly, who are only a few weeks into the so-called best years of their lives at university in Edinburgh, when Georgia gets drawn into the elite group. At the head of the gang, Jude’s brand of feminism is alluring, just like the circle of bright students she surrounds herself with. Georgia’s effortless entry into the clique leaves Holly out in the cold. But Holly’s jealousy soon escalates to panic as Georgia begins acting erratically. Alarmed by this transformation in her best friend, Holly is compelled to follow her into the closely guarded circle. Can Holly reclaim her soulmate? And at what cost to herself?

BBC Three has released the first images of its new drama, Clique, a seductive, intense drama about friendship tested to extremes.

Created by Jess Brittain (Skins), the six-part drama sees two best friends – Holly and Georgia – drawn into a clique of alpha girls led by lecturer Jude McDermid in their first few weeks at university.

In her television debut, Synnove Karlsen will star as Holly alongside The Fall’s Aisling Franciosi as Georgia, while Sherlock’s Louise Brealey will star as Jude McDermid and Emun Elliott (Prometheus) as her brother, Alistair McDermid.

The show held open auditions last year for its cast, with the group of girls set to be played by Rachel Hurd-Wood (Perfume: The Story of a Murderer), Sophia Brown, Ella-Rae Smith and Emma Appleton. Now, BBC Three has released its first images of the whole gang, giving us a closer look at what to expect.

“Clique is about the different ways ambition plays out in young women at university,” says creator and writer Jess Brittain. “It’s a heightened version of a certain type of Uni experience, pulled from my time at Uni, then ramped up a few notches into a psychological thriller. Clique goes to some pretty dark places but returns, always, to the key female friendships of our central characters.”

Georgia and Holly are only a few weeks into the so-called best years of their lives at university in Edinburgh, when we catch up with them – and Georgia gets drawn into the elite group. At the head of the gang, Jude’s brand of feminism is alluring, just like the circle of bright students she surrounds herself with. Georgia’s effortless entry into the clique leaves Holly out in the cold. But Holly’s jealousy soon escalates to panic as Georgia begins acting erratically. Alarmed by this transformation in her best friend, Holly is compelled to follow her into the closely guarded circle. Can Holly reclaim her soulmate? And at what cost to herself?

“It started with having a slightly weird and discombobulated time at University myself,” explains Brittain. “We’re repeatedly told as teens that Uni will be the best years of our lives. So when you find yourself lost and wrong-footed it’s almost shameful. You are supposed to find “your people” at Uni. The attraction of those who seem to have it all tied down and the feelings that then throws up, is something that has hung around in my head since I graduated.”

“I’m also just endlessly fascinated by female friendship and the centrality it has in a young woman’s life,” she continues. “It means everything and can go so wrong so quickly. The opportunity to write something with an almost entirely female cast was also very appealing.”

BBC Studios Executive Producer, Christopher Aird, describes the show as “drama for a new generation of viewers starring a new generation of brilliant young actors”.

“It was my first sole-authored show,” says Brittain. “We were lucky that BBC Three was committed to backing what we wanted to do and were willing to take the risk.”

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